Coal mining tool



Dec. 24, 1940.

N. A. ACORDI 7 GOAL MINING TOOL I Filed Nov. 15, 1959 1N VENTON? mmEsus;

J/ MM w 91/ Patented Dec. 24, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

The invention relates to improvements in coal mining expanding tool inwhich a sectional tapered wedge operates in conjunction with a pair ofgrooved guides; the wedge being driven between the guides by means of ahydraulic jack: and an enlarged opening being provided at one end of theguides to hold the jack in position behind the wedge; and the objects ofthe improvement are, first, to provide a pressure driven expansion toolto be expanded within a drilled hole in a vein of coal; second, toafford facilities for cleaving masses of coal from a solid Vein withoutthe use of explosives; and third, to reduce the hazard, labor, and costin the mining of coal.

One form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, inwhich Figure l is a side view of the entire tool. Figure 2 is a verticalsection of the tool after the removal of the jack. Figure 3 is a sideelevation and an end elevation of the sectional wedge. Figure 4 is aperspective view of the wedge I. Figure 5 is a vertical section on linel-l, Figure 1.

The combination guides and yoke 2 consti- 25 tutes the framework of thetool. Within the yoke 2 is contained a suitable hydraulic jack.

The wedge l is slidably inserted between the guides 2. Suitable groovesor channels are provided in the inner faces of the guides 2 in which 30slidably fit the ribs of the wedge I. Members 4-5-6-1-8 are fillingblocks for lengthening the wedge.

The long narrow portion of Figure 2 is inserted in a drilled hole in thevein of coal and then expanded by forcing the wedge I between the guides2 by means of the hydraulic jack 3. The jack 3 is then collapsed and the'filling 5 blocks 4--5--6l8 inserted between the wedge I and the jack 3,and the thrust of the jack is then repeated until the wedge I hastraveled the entire length of the guides 2; thereby causing the tool toexpand and break the coal from the 10 vein.

I claim:

1. In a device for breaking down coal and the like, the combination of ayoke having a base member, a pair of resilient arms each having 15 oneend connected to the base member and the other end free to move relativeto the other arm,

a wedge positioned between the arms, and means for forcing the wedgetoward the free ends of the arms to expand the arms to effect a breakingpressure on the coal or the like.

2. In the device of claim 1, a power operated jack positioned betweenthe base member and the wedge for operating the wedge to break down thecoal or the like.

3. In the device of claim 1, guide means positioned between the wedgeand the arms for guiding the wedge during its movement relative to thearms.

NICHOLAS A. ACORDI.

